Impoverished priest Harihar Ray leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. His wife, Sarbojaya, looks after their rebellious daughter, Durga, and young son, Apu. The children enjoy the small pleasures of their difficult life.
Arko, a film student, invites Subir Banerjee, who played the legendary role of Apu, to attend an award ceremony in Germany. But the old man hesitates to accept the invitation.